# Escudo



## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

Stokkebye's Escudo is absolutely terrific tobacco. I was sent this in a PIF from Jack Straw/Andrew. It was the first tobacco from those samples that I tried, and I quickly smoked it down. I loved it. I had 3 coins left that I was holding on to until I could get more, and I just picked up 2 tins yesterday, so one of the remaining coins was my evening smoke last night (I didn't get out until after 11pm, I work early in the morning, so I needed a short 10-20min smoke- one coin was perfect, it worked out to about a 15min smoke).

Opening the bag, it hits you with a very pleasant, earthy, spicy smell. The small coins are very easy to fold or break up to load in my pipes. Two coins are about perfect for an average sized bowl. I smoked it in my Savinelli Silver 207 (great little apple pipe). 

It tastes absolutely wonderful. Like many VaPers, it is about as close to a cigar like taste as you'll get in a pipe tobacco. Very smooth, spicy, a tad peppery, with a nice natural Virginia sweetness. I have really started to love VaPers, and this is one of my two or three favorites (St. James Flake is my definite favorite, and this is close).

I have only smoked this outdoors so it is hard to comment much on the smell, and I can't say anything about the room note. It does seem to have a nice, natural, plain tobacco smell.


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

> Stokkebye's Escudo is absolutely terrific tobacco.


 I have to agree with that Jeff. Comparing cigars to pipe tobacco is a hard ask & to be honest I'm not a fan of pepper in my cigars but I love this tobacco as with a pipe I find you can somewhat control the pepper hit you get by varying the heat & tamping method. I just ordered 2 tins last night BTW. LOL. :smile:


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## CBR (Mar 31, 2010)

I've got half a tin aging in my cellar, it's hands down a great blend.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

To quote Freud, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" - a pipes a pipe. No comparison, each has its own taste/flavor/enjoyment profiles.

Escudo is by far and without a doubt my favoritest. All I need is a ton or two of Escudo for retirement, and a few pipes to smoke it in. A pipe cleaner or two, matches, lighter, butane. Well, quite a few things I guess, but as long as Escudo is around, the world is a good place. Kudos to the Kingdom on Denmark and their Queen (I think). :hungry:


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## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

> To quote Freud, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" - a pipes a pipe. No comparison, each has its own taste/flavor/enjoyment profiles.


Hmm, maybe I should explain what I mean by "cigar like". I usually explain more what I mean, I didn't this time since I didn't want to sound like a broken record. It seems to me to be the most cigar-like experience when smoking a pipe. The spicy, sweet and natural tobacco flavor combinations you get remind me a lot of smoking a cigar- they don't taste the same, but both have that natural spicy/sweet thing going on. Because (to me) it is a similar experience, I think VaPers are good tobaccos for cigar smokers who are branching out to pipes. Personally, I think Escudo is one of the best of them that I've had so far (perhaps second only to St. James Flake).


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## karatekyle (Nov 2, 2010)

My B&M has a tin of this for $18. I figured it was pretty over priced but he ages everything before it goes on the shelves. I might have to go pick that tin up!


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## Senator (Feb 8, 2008)

karatekyle said:


> My B&M has a tin of this for $18. I figured it was pretty over priced but he ages everything before it goes on the shelves. I might have to go pick that tin up!


That's about twice the price! Better be at least 5 years on that puppy for that cost!

I love Escudo...got 35 tins in the cellar! YUM!


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

karatekyle said:


> My B&M has a tin of this for $18. I figured it was pretty over priced but he ages everything before it goes on the shelves. I might have to go pick that tin up!


I find it difficult to believe that your tobacconist "ages everything before it goes on the shelves". How long is every tin aged? Does it differ depending on blend? How can he afford to tie-up cash like that?

When I hear this type of stuff, my BS warning radar goes off.

Theoretically, all tobacco is ready to smoke by the time it ships. How could a B&M afford to further age tobacco before making it available for sale? Wouldn't this tie-up a lot of money unnecessarily?

Most "aged" tobacco gets that way from sitting unsold on the shelf. I've purchased 10+ years old tins because that's how long it took the B&M to have somebody buy it.

Just be wary when you hear stories like that.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Jeff10236 said:


> Stokkebye's Escudo is absolutely terrific tobacco. I was sent this in a PIF from Jack Straw/Andrew. It was the first tobacco from those samples that I tried, and I quickly smoked it down. I loved it. I had 3 coins left that I was holding on to until I could get more, and I just picked up 2 tins yesterday, so one of the remaining coins was my evening smoke last night (I didn't get out until after 11pm, I work early in the morning, so I needed a short 10-20min smoke- one coin was perfect, it worked out to about a 15min smoke).
> 
> Opening the bag, it hits you with a very pleasant, earthy, spicy smell. The small coins are very easy to fold or break up to load in my pipes. Two coins are about perfect for an average sized bowl. I smoked it in my Savinelli Silver 207 (great little apple pipe).
> 
> ...


:hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry:


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## karatekyle (Nov 2, 2010)

Senator said:


> That's about twice the price! Better be at least 5 years on that puppy for that cost!


You're telling me.

Better be five years on it and five pounds in it, dammit... Hahaha 

My purchases are always pretty painful there but if it means supporting a good ole tobacco shop, I can usually justify it. So many are dying out. No one smokes pipes like they used to...


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## karatekyle (Nov 2, 2010)

CWL said:


> I find it difficult to believe that your tobacconist "ages everything before it goes on the shelves". How long is every tin aged? Does it differ depending on blend? How can he afford to tie-up cash like that?
> 
> When I hear this type of stuff, my BS warning radar goes off.
> 
> ...


I understand what you mean. But he actually keeps extra tins of the good stuff that ages well in the basement of the shop. And I have seen it. Not many people buy tinned tobacco there because of the low house blend prices. Its not that he's holding tobacco back, its that I'm one of the few that buy tins from him so he doesn't have to struggle to build up a decent cellar to age. He says (which you're right, could just be BS) that the last time he bought any escudo was about 2-3 years ago. Idk. I'll say something eventually. Maybe he'll cut me some slack on the crazy pricetags.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

karatekyle said:


> I understand what you mean. But he actually keeps extra tins of the good stuff that ages well in the basement of the shop. And I have seen it. Not many people buy tinned tobacco there because of the low house blend prices. Its not that he's holding tobacco back, its that I'm one of the few that buy tins from him so he doesn't have to struggle to build up a decent cellar to age. He says (which you're right, could just be BS) that the last time he bought any escudo was about 2-3 years ago. Idk. I'll say something eventually. Maybe he'll cut me some slack on the crazy pricetags.


See thread about Escudo tin dates:
http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...des-yes-i-think-they-do-have-date-stamps.html
Basically the numbers next to the barcode are - YEAR DATE MONTH (and four digits of gibberish). You can quickly see how aged it really is.

Another way to check Escudo tin age. If the tin has a PAINTED lid (white lid, not sticker), its old! If it has A&C Petersen on the top, its a little aged. Red dragon icon, its new.


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## bigdaddychester (Feb 22, 2010)

RJpuffs said:


> Basically the numbers next to the barcode are - YEAR DATE MONTH (and four digits of gibberish). You can quickly see how aged it really is.
> 
> Another way to check Escudo tin age. If the tin has a PAINTED lid (white lid, not sticker), its old! If it has A&C Petersen on the top, its a little aged. Red dragon icon, its new.


Just wondering if this is the same code pattern I've seen on the back of my tins from Dunhill and various other suppliers?


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Different companies have different date codes.


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

Warren make sure you open the tin with the jun 07 date first!  I switched it for ya. Trust me it is damn good aged!


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

Firedawg said:


> Warren make sure you open the tin with the jun 07 date first!  I switched it for ya. Trust me it is damn good aged!


Underhand no good scoundrel bastage! LOL. Thankyou kindly. I have some jarred up so methinks I will take your advice happily. :bowdown:


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

bigdaddychester said:


> Just wondering if this is the same code pattern I've seen on the back of my tins from Dunhill and various other suppliers?





MarkC said:


> Different companies have different date codes.


I think its made in the same "Stokkebye" factory, if so ... it PROBABLY has the same code format. Orlik, et al. There's a full list on the Tobacco Cellar - Pipe Tobacco Cellar Blog blog.http://www.TobaccoCellar.com/blog


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

RJpuffs said:


> I think its made in the same "Stokkebye" factory, if so ... it PROBABLY has the same code format. Orlik, et al. There's a full list on the Tobacco Cellar - Pipe Tobacco Cellar Blog blog.http://www.TobaccoCellar.com/blog


Wow! That is eye opening. Thanks "Unreal". LOL.:madgrin:


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## funbags (Jan 19, 2011)

never tried the Escudo but I am loving the poor mans version (LBEF).


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

funbags said:


> never tried the Escudo but I am loving the poor mans version (LBEF).


Personally, I find PS Luxury BullsEye Flake (spelt out to aid the confused) to be totally different from Escudo, those cavendish centers (or centres in Europe) make the big difference. IMHO the PS Luxury NAVY Flake is more closer, slightly close as it is, to Escudo. Then again, there is only one Escudo - and rumour has it that Dunill Luxury Rolls is the same thing in a different package, but I haven't tried it so can't say.


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